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Stanbic Bank to demonstrate commitment to Financial Literacy

… Participates at Banking and Wealth Expo 2017

Stanbic Bank Botswana continues to reaffirm commitment towards driving enhanced financial literacy and financial inclusion across Botswana. This commitment continues to grow, as Stanbic Bank joins other members of the Bankers Association of Botswana (BAB) and the Botswana Institute of Bankers (BIOB) to bring the inaugural Banking and Wealth Expo 2017 to life in Gaborone from November 15 to 18, 2017.

The Bank has already earned a strong reputation for sustainable investment and impact in this space, working to ensure an informed and educated nation, with a firm grasp of money matters. Stanbic Bank believes in the importance of financial inclusion is an enabler and accelerator of economic growth, job creation and development. Investment in this space has the potential to advance the national economy, and Batswana to truly move forward.

 “We are excited to see this project, championed by Bankers Association of Botswana (BAB) and the Botswana Institute of Bankers (BIOB), as a true demonstration of how those in the banking sector can work together to support Government’s priorities in advancing our Nation and her people. Financial literacy and inclusion are a long-term, never ending investment. Our work is simply never done, and we need to continue to find new ways to help bring us closer towards our collective ambition of a financially sound, educated and savvy populace.” said Stanbic Bank Botswana Chief Executive, Mr. Leina Gabaraane.

It is stated that, globally, more than 2 billion adults are excluded from the formal financial system. Indeed, per a 2015 Botswana financial inclusion survey, more than 20% of Botswana’s adult population is considered to be financially excluded, with the level of exclusion in rural areas found to be in excess of 30%.

Stanbic Bank supports the BAB and BIOB belief that affordable access to and use of financial services helps families and small business owners to generate income and manage irregular cash flows, as well as to invest in emerging opportunities. Moreover, a greater understanding and appreciation of economic matters through educational platforms as the Expo helps strengthen resilience to economic downturns and empower people to work their way out of poverty.

Banking and Wealth Expo, which will be freely open to the public is intended to expose the public to the vast scope of banking and financial services. The theme for the four-day event will be, “Bridging the Inclusion Gap through Financial Literacy.It aims to avail a rare opportunity for the public to seek financial information and advice that will enable them to make informed financial decisions and to better understand how they can use money and financial services towards improving their future livelihoods.  

The Expo will also feature many networking  sessions intended to impart financial awareness, knowledge and skills to various publics including school children, allowing kids to discover money and business through play and a collection of fun interactive, multi-media minds-on and hands-on activities.

Said Bankers Association of Botswana, Ms. Linah Sekwababe, “The public will, for the first time ever, have an opportunity to interact with a broad array of banks and other financial service providers under one roof. On the supply side, the Expo will provide a platform for financial agents to demonstrate their innovative financial products, services and delivery channels.” Further, the Expo will also provide an opportunity for policy makers and regulators to gauge or detect gaps in service provisioning and regulatory enablement.

Stanbic Bank’s passion for driving financial literacy is inherent in the very DNA of the business. Past investments in this space include but are not limited to: radio shows for entrepreneurs and individuals – Better Business, More Lebotha and Better Your Lebotha; a number of financial literacy focused workshops and engagements; and development and dissemination of financial literacy modules for young academics.

“We are committed to ensuring financial literacy efforts have great impact and long-term results. We are excited therefore to work with our fellow banking institutions through BAB and BIOB to ensure yet another platform to drive the message that financial literacy

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CA SALES revenues rose to R9.5 billion

27th March 2023

The Botswana and Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed distributor of fast-moving consumer goods

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Grit divests from Letlole La Rona

22nd March 2023

Grit Services Limited, a member of the pan African real estate group, London Stock Exchange listed Grit Real Estate Income Group is divesting from Letlole La Rona Limited (LLR), a local real estate company established by government investment arm Botswana Development Corporation over a decade ago.

The Board of Directors of Letlole La Rona Limited this week announced in a statement to Unitholders that Grit Services Limited (‘Grit’) has informed them of its intention to exit its investment in the company.

Grit has been a material shareholder in LLR since 2019. On 07 March 2023, Grit sold 6 421 000 linked units, representing 2.29% of the Company’s total securities in issue, at a market value of BWP 22 537 710.

This trade follows previous sales of 6.79% in December 2022, as communicated to Unitholders on 10 January 2023, as well as a further sale of 4.78% (representing 13 347 068 linked units) on 24 February 2023 to various shareholders.

In aggregate, Grit has sold 13.9% shareholding in the Letlole La Rona between December 2022 and March 2023, resulting in current shareholding of 11.25% in the Company.

Letlole La Rona said in the statement that the exit process will take place in an orderly manner so as to maintain stability of the Company’s share price.

The statement explained that Grit’s sale of its entire shareholding in LLR is in line with its decision to exit investments where it does not have majority control, or where it has significant exposure to currencies other than US dollar, Euro or hard-currency-pegged revenue streams.

“Grit has announced similar decisions pertaining to certain of its hospitality assets in Mauritius recently. The Company would like to advise Unitholders that it remains focused on long-term value delivery to all stakeholders” LLR said

In July last year as part of their Go-to-Africa strategy Letlole La Rona acquired an initial 30% equity stake in Orbit Africa Logistics, with an option to increase this investment to 50%. OAL is a special purpose vehicle incorporated in Mauritius, owning an industrial asset in a prime industrial node in Nairobi, Kenya.

The co-investment was done alongside a wholly owned subsidiary of London listed Grit. The Orbit facility is situated on a prime industrial site on Mombasa Road, the principal route south of Nairobi center, serving the main industrial node, the port of Mombasa and the industrial town of Athi River and is strategically located 11 kilometers south of the international airport and 9.6 kilometers from the Inland Container Depot.

Grit shareholding in Letlole La Rona was seen as strategic for LLR, for the company to leverage on Grit’s already existing continental presence and expand its wings beyond Botswana borders as already delivered by Kenya transaction.

Media reports have however suggested that LLR and Grit have since late last year had fundamental disagreements on how to go about the Go-to-Africa strategy amongst other things, fuelled by alleged Botswana government interference on the affairs of LLR.

Government through LLR founding shareholder – Botswana Development Corporation has a controlling stake of around 40 percent in the company. Government is the sole shareholder of Botswana Development Corporation.

Letlole La Rona recently released their financial results for the six months ended December 2022, revenue increased by 4% to P50.2 million from P48.4 million in the prior comparative six months, whilst operating profit was up 8% to P36.5 million. Profit before tax of P49.7 million was reported, an increase of 8% on the prior comparative six months.

“We are encouraged by the strong results, notwithstanding a challenging economic environment. Our performance was mainly underpinned by annual lease escalations, our quality tenant base and below average market vacancy levels, especially in our warehouse portfolio,” Kamogelo Mowaneng, Letlole La Rona Chief Executive Officer commented.

LLR reported a weighted average lease expiry period of 3.3 years and escalation rates averaging 6.8% per annum for the period ended 31 December 2022.Its investment portfolio value increased by 14% year-on-year to close the period at P1.4 billion, mainly driven by the acquisition of a 30% stake in OAL in July 2022.

The Company also recorded a significant increase in other income, predominantly due to foreign exchange gains on the OAL shareholder loan. “We continue to explore pipeline opportunities locally, and regionally in line with our Go-to-Africa strategy and our interest remains on value-accretive investments,” Mowaneng said.

An interim distribution of 9.11 thebe per linked unit was declared on the 6th of February 2023 for the half-year period to 31 December 2022, comprising of a dividend of 0.05 thebe and debenture interest of 9.06 thebe per linked unit which will be paid to linked unit holders registered in the books of the Company at the close of business on 24 February 2023.

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Stargems Group establishes Training Center in BW

20th March 2023

Internationally-acclaimed diamond manufacturing company StarGems Group has established the Stargems Diamond Training Center which will be providing specialized training in diamond manufacturing and evaluation.

The Stargems Diamond Training Institute is located at the Stargems Group Botswana Unit in Gaborone.

“In accordance with the National Human Resource Development Strategy (NHRDS) which holds the principle that through education and skills development as well as the strategic alignment between national ambitions and individual capabilities, Botswana will become a prosperous, productive and innovative nation due to the quality and efficacy of its citizenry. The Training Centre will provide a range of modules in theory and in practice; from rough diamond evaluation to diamond grading and polishing for Batswana, at no cost for eight weeks. The internationally- recognized certificate offered in partnership with Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School presents invaluable opportunities for Batswana to access in the diamond industry locally and internationally. The initiative is an extension of our Corporate Social Investment to the community in which we operate,” said Vishal Shah, Stargems Group Managing Director, during the launch of the Stargems Diamond Training Center.

In order to participate in this rare opportunity, interested candidates are invited to submit a police clearance certificate and a BGCSE certificate only to the Stargems offices.  Students who excel in these programs will have the chance to be onboarded by the Stargems Group. This serves as motivation for them to go through this training with a high level of seriousness.

“Community empowerment is one of our CSR principles. We believe that businesses can only thrive when their communities are well taken of. We are hoping that our presence will be impactful to various communities and economies. In the six countries that we are operating in, we have contributed through dedicating 10% of our revenues during COVID-19 to facilitate education, donating to hospitals and also to NGOs committed to supporting women and children living with HIV. One key issue that we are targeting in Botswana is the rate of unemployment amongst the youth. We are looking forward to working closely with the government and other relevant authorities to curb unemployment,” said Shah.

Currently, Stargems Group has employed 117 Batswana and they are looking forward to growing the numbers to 500 as the company grows. Majority of the employees will be graduates from the Stargems Diamond Training Center. This initiation has been received with open arms by the general public and stakeholders. During the launch, the Minister of Minerals and Energy,  Honorable Lefoko Moagi, stated that the ministry fully endorses Stargems Diamond Training and will work closely with the Group to support and grow the initiative.

“As a ministry, we see this as an game changer that is aligned with one of the United Nations’ Six Priority Sustainable Development Goals, which is to Advance Opportunity and Impact for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). What Stargems Group is launching today will have a huge impact on the creation of employment in Botswana. An economy’s productivity rises as the number of educated workers increases as its skilled workmanship increases. It is not a secret that low skills perpetuate poverty and widen the inequality gap, therefore the development of skills has the potential to contribute significantly to structural transformation and economic growth by enhancing employability and helping the country become more competitive. We are grateful to see the emergence of industry players such as Stargems Group who have strived to create such opportunities that mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on the economy,” said the Minister of Minerals and Energy.

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